Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a device, a system and a method of automatic vessel access and, more particularly, to a device, a system and a method of automatic vessel access based on real time volumetric ultrasound.
Currently, blood vessel access of neonatology (for example: PIV, PAC, PICC, etc.) is generally accomplished by manual operation. However, blood vessel access of neonatology based on manual operation is difficult for the operator of vessel access because babies are so thin and weak that the operators need to have sufficient clinical experience to observe their vessels and perform manual vessel access. Moreover, this difficulty also exists for adults whose vessels are not very obvious.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,177, filed on Dec. 31, 1992 and issued on May 16, 1995, discloses a guide wire placement device. The device comprises a self-propelled device which can make the guide wire inside the cavity of the needle move into the candidate's vessel intravascular automatically upon the operator's manual penetration of the wall of a blood vessel by the needle.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/009,699 (Publication No. US2005/0182295 A1), filed on Dec. 10, 2004 and published on Aug. 18, 2005, discloses a visual assisted guidance device used to guide an endoscope to arrive a predetermined volume of interest within a lung during a Bronchoscope procedure, wherein non-invasive imaging technology such as HRCT is applied.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/598,053 (Publication No. US2010/0210934 A1), filed on May 7, 2008 and published on Aug. 19, 2010, discloses a method and a device to place an intravenous catheter using guide wire assistance, which is used in the catheter insertion and blood collection fields.
Although the teaching of the above patents or patent applications provide certain assisted features and inspirations for vessel access operation, the operators have to see the vessel and guarantee that a needle is inserted manually into the vessel wall before automatically moving a guide wire to an advanced position. This is still a challenge to vessel access of neonates.